Advice for Cruise?

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Replies

  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Try the norovirus cleanse. All the cruise passengers on the new swear by it!
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
    I actually LOST weight on both of my cruises!!

    You'll be doing a LOT of walking. Take advantage of their gym. and when it comes to eating - well you'll probably go two weeks without logging and thats okay. You've been here log enough to know - smaller portions and balance your carbs with protein and healthy fats. Make smaller plates. Don't go back for seconds and limit your trip to the desert bar! Drink LOTS of water.

    Work a little harder now until your cruise to allow a litle wiggle room. But enjoy the cruise - life is meant to be enjoyed not worrying about logging and weighing and measuring every.single.meal. After your cruise come home refreshed and ready to get back to work!!! Have a wonderful time!!!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I logged the best I could using my phone in airplane mode and making "educated guesses". Pancakes are pancakes. Steak is steak. Good enough is good enough.

    The only time I went over was the time I put the kids in daycare and had an adult drink.

    You just want to be generally on-track and conscious of what you are consuming.

    ETA - the plan you need to make is your plan for getting on track when you get home. It usually takes me a week to get back into my routines.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    First tip, take me with you.

    Seriously though... I imagine you'll walk all over the ship, up & down stairs. So its likely to be an active vacation. There will probably be a fitness center and perhaps some group classes.

    Check with the cruise line - they may make nutrition info available. If not, I'd think to keep things simple. Avoid creamy sauces. Eat lots of fruit, veggies, lean meats. Think about portion sizes. Enjoy sweet treats in moderation.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
    For my cruise I didn't log. First god only knows what the calories are. Second - I'm not paying the outrageous amount they charge for internet service. Third - I'm not denying myself the amazing food they have on board!

    The ships are huge - you're going to be doing a TON of walking. You're going to Alaska - so pick some active shore excursions. Kayaking was one of my favorites. You'll do a lot of walking in Port (if you chose to). The ship will have a gym (I never use it but it is there for those who are more motivated).

    If you do gain weight don't stress. I'd much rather enjoy my trip than spend the whole trip paranoid about gaining weight and making myself and my companions miserable.

    This 100%. My hubby and I are going on a 5 day cruise in about a month. I'm trying SUPER hard to lose as much as I can before we go so I can take a much needed and deserved break especially since right before we leave I will have completed THE ENTIRE NROL program and that deserves some celebrating :)

    1) I don't plan to log because I'm not planning on stressing myself over food or paying for internet to do so. I'll probably still take my fitbit and use that so I can keep track of my burn though.
    2) Last cruise I visited the gym once in 3 days... this time around I plan on going everyday... and they have a 7am run on deck which I am very much looking forward to joining.
    3) Portion sizes... I plan on trying as much lovely food as I can but keeping the portions reasonable so I can do so but not totally blow the calories for the day... also... I realized this weekend after eating a slice of very sweet carrot cake that my body just can't handle that sugar anymore... I felt so sick afterwards and really regretted eating it and wasting 360calories... so I'm going to keep that experience in mind when it comes to dessert :)

    HAVE FUN! Don't go crazy... but don't obsess!
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
    1 Stay away from the buffet and eat in the dining room. Plated food limits your portions and its often less cals/fat.
    2 Only eat the foods that you actually enjoy. Take your time eating.
    3 Walk after meals a lap or two around the ship.
    4 Dont eat snacks unless you are actually hungry!
    5 Don't buy the drink package option- drinks like alcohol and pop have lots of extra calories and paying for each drink will make you think. Water and the unsweetened tea will hydrate you just fine.
    6 Only order the dessert if its something you actually enjoy and want. And if the dessert is served first, wait for the coffee to arrive. Waiting will help you realize you are satisfied.
    7 Eat a sensible breakfast. Keeping on a routine will help with the better choices. On my cruise, if I missed the breakfast hours I basically had the option of chips or a no-so-healthy salad bar for a morning snack.
    8 Develop food allergies. :wink: I can't have wheat or milk so I ended up eating a LOT of plain baked potatoes with my protein and veggies. Lack of sauces and butter really cut down on some of my extra calorie consumption but not every wants that option.

    Honestly, follow the basic principles of eating when you are hungry, stopping when you are full and you should be fine. there are lots of opportunities to move- take them. Sometimes my friend and I shared 3 of the plated dinners if it was too hard to choose one option each but we also chose not to snack between meals most of the time. We were frequently off ship for lunch but either way we chose to eat a lighter lunch when possible.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Oh. And - just to warn you - if you have been in a deficit, you are probably glycogen depleted. This means that if you eat at maintenance, your muscles will store fuel. The thing is, each molecule of glycogen is attached to a water molecule...5 pounds of instant weight gain. NOT fat gain. And it's beneficial because you'll have more energy to do stuff.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I've been on four week long trips in my 16 month journey. Here are my experiences.

    The 1st I logged religiously and tried to be as good as if I were home. I came home exactly where I left but really felt I missed out on enjoying my vacation like I had in the past.

    The 2nd I logged loosely and allowed myself some treats. I came home exactly where I had left. I felt better about the trip than the 1st but still felt that I had missed out a little.

    The 3rd was out of the country and I couldn't have logged if I wanted to. I didn't know what I was eating most of the time. I came home exactly where I left. I logged 2000 bare calories each day to keep my streak alive.

    The 4th trip I had been stuck for awhile so decided to eat and drink whatever I felt like (which wasn't all that bad really) Guess what? I came home exactly where I left off but boy did I have fun!

    Congratulations on your loss so far! Realistically you can't really do too much damage in a week or in your case (LUCKY YOU!) two weeks. Stay away from the stuff that you know is super high but please enjoy your vacation without guilt! Right back on program when you return. You may well have a gain but most of that will be water that will come back off in a few days.

    Have fun!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    This 100%. My hubby and I are going on a 5 day cruise in about a month. I'm trying SUPER hard to lose as much as I can before we go so I can take a much needed and deserved break especially since right before we leave I will have completed THE ENTIRE NROL program and that deserves some celebrating :)

    Wow! That is awesome!
  • vcuchick
    vcuchick Posts: 29 Member
    wohoo! Thanks everyone for the great advice. :) I'll make sure to post some "action" shots of me kayaking and stuff when I get back. (If I'm not eaten by an Orca first...) :) Can't wait! Now off to REI...
  • vcuchick
    vcuchick Posts: 29 Member
    4 days to my cruise!!! So exceited! Still worried about not getting healthy snacks and such but I'm sure I'll find yummy healthy things! Thanks again for all the great ideas. :)
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
    I gained 8 pounds on a 5 day Thanksgiving cruise. Just a thang....I also started running on that cruise. Just like any holiday/vacation/event...it's life, this is a life deal and every day isn't a winner.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I took a 15-day cruise last year, and I simply took a break from calorie counting while I was on the boat. I used the onboard gym, didn't stuff myself, and it was fine.

    After all, unless you're rich, how often do these occasions come about? It was totally worth it. And the food? Delicious.
  • vegwrangler
    vegwrangler Posts: 143 Member
    I am so jealous! We just did a Caribbean cruise a few months back and were saying the whole time "I wish we were going to Alaska!"

    Your plan of hitting the gym in the morning, taking the stairs whenever possible, and doing FIT excursions is exactly what the Husband and I did and we both got off of the boat lighter than we were getting on :-). I wear a Polar Loop (tracks heart rate, sleep, and movement - kind of like your FitBit) and every day with the exception of the day I sprained my pinkie toe in Jamaica I was well over my normal activity levels at home.

    Do not fear having healthy snacks around! If your ship is anything like ours, fresh fruit, vegetables, and other lean snacks were abundant at every meal and incredibly easy to stow in my bag for poolside consumption! We really didn't deprive ourselves at all, we just stuck to a "paleo-like" diet but still stuffed ourselves with pizza and beer on a few occasions. You'll be moving and shaking enough to burn it all off, you'll do GREAT!!!
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    4 days till your cruise? Jealoussss.

    I lost weight on my last cruise, 7 days in Europe. I went to the cruise ship gym every day and did cardio (elliptical with a warm up on the treadmill) and lifted 2 days. My total time in the gym was about 30-45 mins, which was easy to do in the morning because nothing else was going on/too early to swim or enjoy the sun. I also took a lot of shore excursions that involved a ton of walking.

    I did drink and enjoy the bottomless food, but I stayed away from the super-calorie-bomb blended drinks and opted instead for a lot of wine and screwdrivers. For food, I filled up on fruit and cheese before I hit the pasta dishes or dessert.

    I can't speak to logging, since I took the cruise before I was on MyFitnessPal. If I were you, I wouldn't log but I would write down what I ate and exercised for the day, just so there is some accountability/recognition.
  • RosieB405
    RosieB405 Posts: 150 Member
    Use the clock method. 12 to 6 o'clock is veggies, 6-9 o'clock proteien, 9-11 carbs, and 11-12 fats, fried, or bad food.

    Also do biking excursions, and drink 3 to 1 (3 waters to one drink)